UH, Metro come to terms on rail line route

Updated 1:21 am, Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Construction of a light-rail line that would cross University of Houston property can continue now that UH and Metro officials settled differences that threatened to delay the project.

UH announced in a statement Tuesday that university officials have agreed to allow the Metropolitan Transit Authority to start the next phase of construction of the southeast line along Wheeler Avenue. In exchange, Metro will address concerns involving access to UH's facilities.

The Metro board has agreed to pay $1.5 million to take the steps included in the agreement, according to spokesman Jerome Gray.

"We have worked diligently together to reach an agreement," UH President Renu Khator said in a statement. "We have come to a resolution that both the university and Metro are happy with and that is in the best interests of the community."